Hiding Away
by RayQueen
Summary: On a scalding afternoon in Egypt, Draco is the only one not in the swimming pool and Harry is getting worried about his boyfriend, specially after he learns the reason why. Warning: Very minor smut


**Hiding Away**

Harry sprinted forward, jumped and held his legs against his chest, hitting the water without a care in the world for how many people got splashed by it, and, to be fair, nobody seemed to care, either.

The Egyptian sun was punishingly hot. The type of sun that makes you see waves of heat radiating from the pavement and turns your brain into a one-track album, repeating the words "water" and "ice" over and over again.

Several redheads, one blonde and two brunettes were already indulging those thoughts, while one specific blond watched them with a cold gin-and-tonic glass in hand. Draco had changed enough to be able to enjoy most things muggle, including their alcoholic drinks, to which he was introduced by none other than Hermione Granger.

He moved his glass around, looking at the ice, happily swimming in the cold liquid. It was not that Draco thought he was too good for something as mundane as a swimming pool, but that's exactly how he was going to play it out. Keeping that Malfoy pompous pose and expression, he laid back on his chair and took a sip from his glass. It helped a little.

"Hey, Malfoy! Are you on your period or something?", called out Ginny sitting on Harry's shoulders, getting ready to fight Hermione on Ron's. "Are you going to stay there all day? I can already see smoke coming out of that hay bale you call hair."

Draco flipped her the bird, making the others laugh. He was still a little surprised by how well he was getting along with his former enemies, specially Granger and Lovegood. He still spent the most time with Harry, though, because of Teddy and it was him who invited Draco to Egypt with the rest of the crew. They had been dating for only a month, but Draco had never been happier and would take any opportunity to spend more time with him, even if he had to see Harry with his ex-girlfriend on his shoulders.

"I'm fine here, Red, but your concern is touching," he said, smoothing out his black top.

"At least take off that shirt. We want to see your killer abs," winked Luna. The Weasley girl was definitely rubbing off on her, and not in a good way.

"And allow you to see this masterpiece for free, Lovey? No way!"

Harry raised an eyebrow at him, seemingly starting to make the connections Draco didn't want him to make just now. His eyes darted to the piece of clothing covering the blond's body and opened his mouth to say something, only to be interrupted by Ginny urging him to focus on their pushing competition with Ron and Hermione. Draco had never liked her better.

Draco had seen Harry shirtless countless times. When Teddy cried, the only thing that could make him stop was skin-to-skin contact, and Harry was always the first to volunteer with a lot of encouragement from Andromeda that claimed it helped create a bond with the child. But Draco? Never shirtless. Not even once. And he was dreading the day he had to be.

He tried to focus on his new-found friends enjoying themselves on the swimming pool, battling the heat, and took another sip of his drink. Feeling the sweat trickling down his back, he stood up and headed inside to find his wand. A few months ago, he would have never even considered sleeping without his wand withing reach, now he just didn't care that much anymore. He felt safe.

He put his trunk on the bed and was fumbling through it when he felt very familiar cold wet hands on his waist. Without even looking, he knew it was Harry and started to worry. It was time for the conversation and he really did not want to have it. His worry melted when Harry straightened him and kissed the nape of his neck.

"Why did you come inside?"

"Too hot out there," he answered, turning around and planting a chaste kiss on Harry's lips. "I came inside to find my wand and cast a cooling charm on myself."

"You know what's better than a cooling charm? A swimming pool, with all of your friends."

"Not all of them. Pansy and Blaise are back home in England."

"Okay, smart ass. _Some_ of your friends, then."

"Harry," he said, putting his arms around the boy's neck and feeling his boyfriend's hands resting on his hips. "I'm not a big fan of swimming pools."

"I don't buy it," he replied, with a serious look on his face. "On a day like this, I would find a way to swim in an ice tray."

"Oh, I don't doubt that. The thing is, I'm not you, babe, and I'm not in the mood to get all wet now." Harry have him a suggestive look. "Oh, get your mind off the gutter, Potter. _Merlin_."

Harry laughed and Draco smiled. He loved that sound almost as much as he loved the man himself.

"Love, as much as I would love to believe you, I don't. There something more to the story."

"Harry, please. Leave it at that, would you? We're on vacation. Your family is outside having fun, and I know you want to be with them too."

"I've spent the last three days with them, out of the 30 we have been dating. Excuse me for trying to steal a couple of moments alone with my _boyfriend_," Draco's heart skipped a beat at the word. He didn't think he would ever get used to it.

"Always so dramatic." Draco rolled his eyes.

"I take after my dad and godfather," grinned Harry with a wink. "Drama runs in the family. It also runs in yours, little Black, let's not forget that."

"Who are you calling dramatic, Potter?"

"No one, Mr. Draco The-hippogriff-killed-me Malfoy," teased Harry.

"Oh, sod off." Draco hit his shoulder playfully.

"Don't try to change the subject and don't think I haven't noticed that you never take your shirt off. Even during the water balloon fight we had at Andromeda's house with Teddy. You were soaking wet, but still fully dressed."

"Harry, please drop it."

Draco sat down on the bed and ran his hand through his hair. He let out a sigh and rested his forehead in his hands. Harry wouldn't drop it. He knew he wouldn't, but he had to try. They were on holiday, Harry was having fun, and he didn't want to ruin it. Harry sat by side, raising his face and taking his hands in his.

"Talk to me," he pleaded, looking into grey eyes.

"Harry, not now."

"Yes, now. Please. Draco, whatever it is, it's keeping you from enjoying the trip with us. With me. And not just the trip, but many other things that I probably didn't mind much at the time, because I thought it was just you being you." Draco snorted. "I'm serious. It's not the first time you sit something out if there's water involved."

"The problem is not the water."

"Well, I figured that much by myself already."

"Are you really not going to let it go?"

"Have you met me?"

"Unfortunately," sighed Draco, rolling his eyes.

Harry smirked, knowing he had won. His boyfriend didn't ask him to leave or stop with the questions, so he certainly was going to tell him, right? Wrong. Draco had met Harry, alright, but better than that, he knew him quite well. Well enough to know that the best way to distract the raven-haired boy was to get him busy with something else. Grabbing his neck, Draco pressed his lips against Harry's urgently. There was nothing sweet about that kiss. It was desperate, frantic. Breathtaking.

Draco slowly laid Harry down on the bed, getting on top of him. It was clear that Harry had forgotten all about their conversation. Draco's thigh pressed against Harry's sensitive area, making the boy take a deep breath and run his hand down Draco's chest looking for the hem of his shirt. He put his hands under it and started taking them up again, when Draco pulled back, panting and a little wide-eyed.

"You always do that! What's wrong?" Draco could see that Harry was more confused than angry, but he still shuddered. "Don't you want me?"

"Of course I do," the question took Draco by surprise. There was nothing he wanted more than Harry.

"Then what is it? Tell me. Whatever it is, I can help you!" Harry's voice raised a little. He hated being kept in the dark.

"No, you can't! You can't always help people, Harry!" Draco mimicked him. Hands gesturing widely and voice raising beyond his control.

"Not if you don't even let me try, I can't. I'm your boyfriend, for Merlin's sake! Do you intend on keeping a shirt on until our wedding day?"

Draco froze. _Wedding day_? Harry was considering _marrying_ him? Even if it was in a distant future, Draco felt his hopes getting up considerably. Harry took that moment to find his wand and point it at Draco.

"Do I have to vanish it for you?"

"Harry, stop," Draco pleaded. His eyes starting to water.

"I don't get it. I really don't. What could be so bad that you don't want to tell me?" Harry paced back and forth. "You know how much I hate not knowing. I already told you how it felt every time I found out I could have prevented someone from getting hurt if Dumbledore had just told me the whole _fucking truth_. And now you're trying to do the same! Stop shutting me out. Just tell me, Goddammit!"

Draco was upset. He hated fighting his loved ones and avoided it at any cost, but Harry just wouldn't let it go. It was hurting him. _He_ was hurting him, and Draco was getting angry. Harry was able to see a flash of that anger in his eyes, but didn't back down. He couldn't now. Before he could regret it, Draco yanked his shirt off. He saw Harry's eyes running through his torso and the pain as clear as day painting his beautiful green eyes.

"Happy now?"

"Draco, I'm-" Harry couldn't speak. He knew exactly how those big white scars had ended up in an otherwise immaculate chest. He knew it was his fault. Draco's anger receded when he saw Harry's expression.

"Shit, Harry. I _did _try to warn you. I told you to let it go, but you just wouldn't do it."

He stepped forward, arms out to pull Harry tight into a hug, but the boy took a step back. Shivering, horrified. The worst thing, for Draco, was that Harry was horrified at himself and Draco could not let that happen.

"Hey, come here," said Draco softly, taking another step forward.

"No. How could I… I didn't… I had completely forgotten." Harry was shaking. Eyes wide and face pale.

"It's okay. Severus told me you didn't know what you were doing. Come here, please." Harry stayed put, which Draco took as consent to pull him closer. He wrapped Harry in his arms, bare chests touching for the first time.

"I'm so sorry. I really am," stuttered Harry, burying his face on Draco's neck and squeezing him tighter.

"I know, baby. I know. That's why I didn't want to show you just yet. Specially not now. I knew you would get upset."

"I could have killed you." Harry's voice was barely a whisper now.

"I could have killed you, too. Many times when we were younger. But we didn't, and thank Merlin for that, because if either of us had succeeded, I wouldn't be able to be here with you right now.

"Draco, I feel horrible."

"Don't. I'm fine. We're both fine." Draco pulled back a little to look into Harry's eyes. "It's in the past now and I don't want you to dwell on it."

"Shit," eloquently said Harry, running his hand through his mess of a hair. He placed his hands on either side of Draco's face and caressed his cheeks with his thumbs. "Look, I'm going to say something, all right? I need you to know that if you don't feel like saying it back, you don't have to. We haven't been together for that long and I understand if you're not there yet, but I just need to say it, or I'm gonna lose-"

"I love you, Harry," interrupted, Draco, smiling. "Now stop rambling. You're giving me anxiety."

Harry smiled the brightest smile. Then he laughed, relieved. Draco loved him despite everything they had been through. Hell, maybe he did _because_ of everything they had been through, and Harry was not going to take that for granted.

"I love you, too. But next time," Harry took Draco's hand in his, "tell me what's going on. I hate being kept in the dark."

"I will. I promise."

Harry kissed him. Not a chaste peck, not an urgent and distracting kiss, but a kind one. One full of emotion and meaning. Full of love.

"Now, can we please go for a swim. I'm melting in here, and I'm pretty sure it's not the sun's fault."

"You have a dirty, dirty mind, Potter."

"Now that I finally got you shirtless, it will just get dirtier, Malfoy."

* * *

**Written for the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry (Challenges & Assignments)**

**ASSIGNMENT #4 **

**Beauty Therapy – Task #11 - **Scarification

**_Insane House Challenge_**

#593 - Weather: Heat Wave

_Word count - 2292_

_**Seasonal Winter Challenges**_

**Days of the Year - **February 9th - National Pizza Day: Write about something coming together piece by piece (or step by step).

**Slytherin Challenge - **#33. Draco Malfoy


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